An Argentina side inspired by Lionel Messi has won the 2022 World Cup after defeating France on penalties.
The game ended 3-3 with nothing to separate both sides after extra time.
When it was over – after the most outlandish of Kylian Mbappé‑inspired France comebacks, the defending champions punching back from the brink not once but twice – when Gonzalo Montiel had dispatched the winning penalty, Messi sank to his knees in the centre circle, engulfed by his teammates.
It will go down as an all-time classic, perhaps the finest World Cup final of them all, one of the greatest games in history. In so many ways, it was Messi’s game, it was destined to be his game in the end and yet how France fought.
More to follow…
